Department for Transport

Cycling and Walking: Lancashire

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £250 million emergency active travel fund, announced on 9 May, was allocated to (1) Lancashire, (2) Blackburn with Darwen, and (3) Blackpool; how much of that fund has beenallocated to each authority each district in Lancashire; and what schemes has such funding has been used for.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In tranche 1 of the Emergency Active Travel Fund (EATF), £783,087 was allocated to Lancashire; £77,000 to Blackburn and Darwen; and £78,000 to Blackpool. An announcement on tranche 2 of EATF funding is due to be made shortly. The funding is supporting measures including temporary cycle lanes, closing streets to vehicles, traffic and parking restrictions, traffic calming measures, footpath widenings, temporary crossings and cycle signage and storage facilities. The allocation of funding to each of their districts is a matter for the relevant local authority.

Shipping: Coronavirus

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they (1) have provided, and (2) intend to provide,to the maritime sectorduring the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The maritime sector plays a vital role in the UK economy and continues to provide vital freight and key worker services throughout the pandemic. However, it has faced significant disruption and challenges, as have many parts of the economy. To support businesses and employees, HMG has responded with an unprecedented £330 billion of financial measures. In addition, the Department provided bespoke financial support to ensure that critical lifeline and freight services continued to operate through the most challenging period. My Department is working closely with the maritime sector on their restart plans. This includes identifying the support that will need to be provided to enable the safe resumption and continued increase of services and operations. We are also working with the sector on a longer-term Maritime Recovery Plan which will build on Maritime 2050 published in January 2019. Given the changes that COVID-19 has caused, we are considering where new recommendations could be made in addition to Maritime 2050, or existing recommendations accelerated, to help the maritime sector recover from COVID-19 and continue to grow.

Aircraft: Safety

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to improve the safety and regulation of light aircraft, and (2) the safety and regulation of such aircraft which are registered in the United States and other overseas jurisdictions but operating primarily in the UK.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport has recently commissioned an independent review into the safety of recreational General Aviation. The review showed a continuous downward trend in the number of accidents involving light aircrafts since the 1980s, and that the number of accidents in the UK is lower than in the US, Australia and New Zealand. The authors considered that the current safety level of recreational GA is acceptable but made a number of recommendations. We will work with the CAA to consider the implications, and will continue to keep all areas of safety policy under review. Regarding third country registered aircraft based in the UK, the majority are non-complex aircraft registered in the US, used for recreational aviation. Both the General Aviation safety review and evidence from the CAA show there is no evidence that overall non-UK registered aircraft are maintained to a lower standard than UK registered aircraft, and that overall non-UK and European registered aircraft do not have a higher accident rate. For these reasons, the Department for Transport does not consider there to be a safety case to change the regulation of third country registered aircrafts operating primarily in the UK. However, as highlighted above, we will continue to keep all areas of safety policy under review.

Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of decarbonisation of the maritime industry on the number of new jobs created in that sector.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In 2019, the Department published the Clean Maritime Plan, which noted the potential for clean economic growth in the UK as a result of the transition to zero emission shipping. Alongside the Plan, the Department published an assessment of the potential economic opportunities from low and zero emission shipping. While this does not estimate the number of potential new jobs that could be created through the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, it identifies a large potential global market for the elements of alternative maritime fuel production technologies in which the UK has a particular competitive advantage (for example, upfront design), which could result in economic benefits to the UK of around £360–£510 million per year by the middle of the century. Maritime UK has published its views that investment in maritime decarbonisation could in future create more than 15 thousand jobs as well as tens of thousands of jobs when considering the wider supply chain. Industry research estimates that in 2017 the UK maritime sector as a whole directly supported more than 220 thousand jobs for UK employees.

Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, and with whom, about the potential role of hydrogen in decarbonising the maritime sector.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: My officials have regularly engaged with the UK maritime industry and academia on this matter, particularly since the launch of the Clean Maritime Council, which was established in 2018 to ensure strong collaboration between Government, industry and academia on maritime decarbonisation. The Council underpinned the publication of the Clean Maritime Plan, which was published in July 2019 and made a number of recommendations relating to alternative fuel technologies, including hydrogen.

SS Richard Montgomery

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they decided that the masts of the SS Richard Montgomery should now be removed; and if they will publish the risk assessment that led to this decision.

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in identifying a contractor to carry out the removal of the masts of the SS Richard Montgomery; how many times this work has been put out to tender; how many expressions of interest have been received; and what indemnities are being offered to the contractors.

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the SS Richard Montgomery is in their National Risk Assessment; and what guidance has been offered to the relevant local resilience forums about the approach they should take to the risks associated with it.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Whilst the condition of the masts is not believed to have deteriorated seriously over time, the decision to explore reducing the height of the masts was informed by the regular surveys conducted by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. There is a dedicated page on Gov.uk for the SS Richard Montgomery where these surveys can be found. The procurement process to appoint a contractor to remove the masts is still live and while commercial information on the tender cannot therefore be released, further updates on its progress will be given at the appropriate time. The work to remove these masts has not previously been put out to tender. Further details can be found online in the Official Journal of the EU. The SS Richard Montgomery is not on the National Risk Register. The National Risk Register is managed by the Cabinet Office, who are currently updating this document.The relevant local authorities and local resilience forums are aware of the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery and routinely factor it into their regular planning work. We are in contact with these organisations regularly to ensure they have the information they need on risks to inform their planning.

Skywriting

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the environmental impact of the reintroduction of skywriting, and (2) the impact of such a reintroductionon their plans for reducing carbon emissions; whether they intend to introduce legislation to implement such a reintroduction; and if so, when.

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthe public consultation for the reintroduction of skywriting took place; how that consultation took place; how many responses they received; and what percentage of the responses were supportive ofsuch areintroduction.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The public consultation for the legalisation of skywriting and skytyping aerial activities took place between 16 and 29 March 2020. The consultation document was published online at GOV.UK and respondents could submit their views via email or post to the Department for Transport. The Department received a total of 93 responses from members of the public, trade bodies, registered companies, and other respondents. 20% of the responses supported the legalisation of skytyping and skywriting. The Department acknowledges some of the concerns raised on the environmental impacts but believes on balance these impacts should be minimal or can be mitigated against – as set out in the consultation document. Skytyping and skywriting activities can only take place in very specific zero wind and fine weather conditions. As such, there is not expected to be a significant volume of these activities, so any impact on emissions is deemed to be minimal. As part of its net zero ambition, the Government is supporting the development of sustainable aviation fuels and other environmentally friendly technology. A statutory instrument was laid on 17 April 2020 amending the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1995, which concluded in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords on 11 June 2020. Skytyping recently featured as part of the VE 75 commemorations.

Channel Tunnel

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reached agreement with the EU on the future arrangements for the administration of the Channel Tunnel; and if not, what is the planned timetable for those negotiations.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has supported operators in establishing contingency measures, now in place, to secure the continuation of critical services through the Channel Tunnel regardless of the outcome of negotiations between the UK and the EU. As agreed by the UK and the EU as part of the Political Declaration in October 2019, the Government is engaging with France to establish bilateral agreements to further support the continuation of services through the Channel Tunnel and to provide long term certainty for operators. The Government has been clear, however, that any bilateral agreements must fully respect the UK’s status as an independent sovereign nation and this will guide our approach to negotiations. Bilateral discussions between UK and French officials are expected to continue over the coming months and the Government will provide updates on these in due course.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to further review the costs and benefits of HS2; and whetherthat project remains (1) on time, and (2) on budget.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Full Business Case for Phase One was approved in April this year which included a robust cost-benefit analysis. Ministers are updated monthly on progress through a Ministerial Task Force chaired by the Secretary of State for Transport and Parliament will receive the first of the regular 6-monthly progress reports later this year which will set out the latest cost and schedule position.

Airports: Coronavirus

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey have suspended meetings of the expert steering group representing airports; if so, why; how they intend to liaise with airports on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on airports across England; and when they last held discussions with the representatives of each airport in England.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department momentarily paused all non-essential official-led engagement with the aviation sector ahead of Parliament returning, taking the opportunity to review how we engage with industry, both in terms of sharing information and for giving industry the opportunity to feedback as policy develops. Engagement has now restarted, with the Secretary of State having personally spoken to numerous stakeholders. A revised Expert Steering Group, as well as other forums for engagement have now resumed and we remain committed to an open dialogue with the sector.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are planning, if any, to ensure that aviation is safe if and when the UK leaves the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: UK aviation has an excellent safety record and reputation and safety will continue to be a priority at the end of the transition period. It is paramount that the safety and security of all passengers travelling in the UK and EU is not compromised under any circumstances and to make sure there is continuity and stability for passengers and industry. The Prime Minister has been clear that our future relationship with the EU must not entail any application of EU law in the UK or CJEU jurisdiction. Continued UK participation in the EASA system would have been inconsistent with this approach. The EU’s negotiating mandate does not allow for UK participation in EASA but does set out their ambition to agree cooperative aviation safety arrangements with the UK. To this end, we want an aviation safety agreement with the EU that minimises regulatory burdens for the industry. Such an agreement will facilitate the recognition of aviation safety standards, maintain high safety outcomes and enable continued regulatory cooperation between the UK and EU. The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority currently oversees most aspects of civil aviation safety in the UK. After the transition period the CAA will take on some additional functions from EASA and will continue to ensure that the UK has world-leading safety standards. The Department for Transport is closely monitoring the CAA’s progress to assume its new responsibilities and receives regular updates to ensure preparations are on track. The CAA has been preparing for the possibility of leaving the EASA system since the EU referendum in 2016, including recruiting new staff across the organisation. Outside of the EASA system, the UK will have the autonomy to regulate in a proportionate manner that effectively meets the needs of industry.

Travel: Coronavirus

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to adjust the timings of announcements adding countries to the list of those requiring quarantine for returning visitors in order to allow a longer interval between the announcement of new quarantine measures and their implementation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As the Secretary of State set out in the House on 7 September, there is a tension between bringing in to force regulations at pace which are designed to protect the health of the public and allowing travellers and operators the chance to consider incoming regulations. Our current approach, a Thursday announcement followed by the regulations coming into force on a Saturday tries to straddle those concerns. It is also an approach that has been agreed across the four nations, and takes on board operational considerations at the border. However, we reserve the right to bring regulations in to force quicker if their strong public health rationale to do so. As we have consistently made clear, COVID-19 has profoundly changed the nature of international travel, and those who chose to travel should do so with their eyes open. It is right that we prioritise the health of the public.

Motor Vehicles: Urban Areas

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to discourage the use of private combustion engine motor vehicles in cities, and (2) to promote the use of public transport in cities and elsewhere, during the remainder of 2020.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is providing £225 million of emergency funding to local authorities in the current financial year to enable them to introduce measures to support more cycling and walking. The Department for Transport issued guidance to local authorities in May, which suggested that they should make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians. This will help give people a safe alternative to the car for short journeys. The Government is also supporting the transition to cleaner vehicles by investing around £2.5bn,? with grants available for plug in vehicles, as well as funding to support charge point infrastructure at homes, workplaces, on residential streets and across the wider roads network. Since March, the Department for Transport has announced over £700 million to support the continued operation of bus and light rail services. The latest funding packages, running from August 4, include £37.4 million over 12 weeks for light rail operators and a rolling package of funding of £27.3 million per week for bus operators in England, outside London. It is also developing plans for a national marketing campaign to promote travel by bus.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Universities: Coronavirus

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reduction in research funding available to universities as a result of reduced charitable giving during the COVID-19 pandemic; andwhat plans they have to increase funding to compensate for any such reduction.

Lord Callanan: The UK’s world-class universities will continue to play a critical role in delivering local and national economic prosperity, but of course they have been hard hit by COVID-19. That is why we have announced a range of measures to support universities at this difficult time. From the autumn, the Government will provide a package consisting of low-interest loans with long pay-back periods, supplemented by a small amount of government grants through the Sustaining University Research Expertise Fund (‘SURE’) to cover up to 80% of a university’s income losses from international students for the academic year 2020-21, up to the value of their non-publicly funded research activity. The SURE fund aims to help sustain the research capacity of the university research base as a whole. Universities will be asked to demonstrate how they will use that funding to sustain research in areas typically funded by charities and business. Ultimately, we want critical university research capability, including charity-funded medical research, to be sustained and able to contribute to our future R&D ambitions.

Earthquakes

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many earthquakes have been recorded in the UK in the last 12 months with a magnitude of over two; and where they have been located.

Lord Callanan: In the last 12 months a total of 23 earthquakes have been recorded in the UK with a magnitude of over two. Details of the locality, date and magnitude are provided in the table below:DateTime (GMT)MagnitudeLocality24/09/201913:38:154.2CENTRAL NORTH SEA02/10/201919:22:072.4MELTON MOWBRAY LEICS05/10/201915:35:472.1SOUTHERN NORTH SEA14/10/201916:51:492.4BISHOP'S CASTLE SALOP08/11/201916:12:072.3HALIFAX WEST YORKSHIRE17/11/201922:31:542.1MULL ARGYLL & BUTE05/12/201922:49:183.2BRIDGWATER SOMERSET15/12/201921:19:532.1IRISH SEA07/01/202010:36:462.3ARNISDALE HIGHLAND23/01/202005:57:003.1STOCKTON COUNTY DURHAM31/01/202011:53:342.2NORTHAMPTON NORTHANTS01/02/202001:20:282.9SOUTHERN NORTH SEA01/02/202001:19:392.7SOUTHERN NORTH SEA07/02/202015:04:522.4SOUTHERN NORTH SEA22/02/202018:43:024CENTRAL NORTH SEA24/03/202017:19:202.3PONTRILAS HEREFORDSHIRE27/03/202003:25:282.8SOUTHERN NORTH SEA04/04/202015:28:172.2BRACKLEY NORTHANTS23/04/202005:30:503.3SOUTHERN NORTH SEA04/06/202012:48:162.1WALSALL WEST MIDLANDS06/06/202014:22:392.2COMRIE PERTH & KINROSS21/08/202017:41:522.6SKYE HIGHLAND08/09/202008:45:293.5LEIGHTON BUZZARD BEDS Data supplied by the British Geological Survey.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the names of the recipients of loans made under (1) the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and (2) the Bounce Back Loan Scheme; and if not, why not.

Lord Callanan: There are currently no plans to publish the recipient data on who has taken out loans under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme or Bounce Back Loan Scheme. This is on the grounds that the release of information regarding SME beneficiaries could reveal information on their financial standing and may therefore damage their commercial interests. Information on lending is also commercially sensitive for lenders who deliver the schemes on behalf of Government. Provision for withholding this information is contained within S43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Additionally, some company names may reveal the names of individuals if they are sole traders, where the company name is their actual name/part of their name. This is classed as personal data which is exempt under S40(2) personal data under FOIA.

Textiles: Minimum Wage

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve enforcement of minimum wage legislation in the garment sector in the UK.

Lord Callanan: We are deeply concerned by the reports of labour exploitation in the Leicester textiles industry. In light of these serious allegations, a multi-agency Taskforce, led by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has been set up in Leicester to enable the relevant enforcement bodies to work together at pace to take appropriate action against unscrupulous employers who exploit workers. The taskforce includes HMRC’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) team. Since 2012/13, HMRC’s NMW team has investigated more than 150 garment trade employers, including multiple employers operating in Leicester. To date, HMRC has recovered over £215,000 in wage arrears for 411 textile workers and issued over £325,000 in corresponding penalties to employers. Since 2015, HMRC have facilitated 19 director disqualifications relating to the textile sector. HMRC are also exploring outreach activities with local groups in Leicester, such as holding community events, designed to promote HMRC NMW rights for workers, and support employers and agency partners. The Government is committed to improving enforcement of employment rights. We have announced the intention to introduce a Single Enforcement Body, which will provide a clearer route for workers to raise a complaint and get support, enabling more coordinated enforcement action and the use of pooled intelligence to better target proactive enforcement. We are also extending state enforcement to cover holiday pay for vulnerable workers and umbrella companies operating in the agency worker market.

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) businesses, and (2) tradespeople, have signed up to the TrustMark Scheme in order to take part in the Green Homes Grant Scheme.

Lord Callanan: As of 31 August, TrustMark had 681 registered businesses able to install the primary and/or secondary measures supported by the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme. These businesses range from small enterprises to large companies with significant workforces. Additionally, a further 2316 TrustMark applications were being processed, and a further 5164 expressions of interest in joining TrustMark had been received by the various trade associations and certification and inspection bodies who partner with TrustMark.

Aerospace Industry

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future of the aerospace sector in the UK.

Lord Callanan: The aerospace sector will be affected by a significant reduction in demand due to the global impact of Covid-19. We are supporting its long-term return to growth through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, with £1.95 billion of funding for research and development (R&D), matched by industry, over 13 years up to 2026. UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) is also providing £125 million to the Future Flight Challenge for research on greener ways of flying through advances in electric and autonomous flight technology, which is expected to generate an additional £175 million of match-funding from industry. We are also co-investing in aerospace productivity improvement and innovation programmes to support small and medium-sized businesses, backed with over £135 million of public funding. In addition, the aerospace sector and its aviation customers are being supported with over £8.5 billion support through the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility, grants for R&D, loan guarantees, and support for aerospace exports.

Aerospace Industry: Research

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they provided inresearch and development grants to the aerospace industryin (1) 2018, and (2) 2019.

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount ofresearch and development grants for the aerospace industry are earmarked for (1) 2020, and (2) 2021.

Lord Callanan: The Government and industry have made a joint commitment to invest £3.9 billion in aerospace research and development (R&D) from 2013 to 2026. The Government’s share of the £1.95 billion is managed through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme. An annual breakdown of expenditure and budgets for the years requested is set out in the table below: Fiscal YearExpenditure (£m)Allocated Budget (£m)2018/191401542019/201491502020/21N/A150 The aerospace industry is also supported through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). Around £60 million was allocated to a suite of high-value manufacturing aerospace projects in 2017, and aerospace companies are eligible for the current ISCF challenges, such as the Future Flight Challenge (£125 million) and Driving the Electric Revolution (£80 million).

Aerospace Industry: Coronavirus

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist the UK aerospace industryin the light of the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Callanan: We are supporting the aerospace industry through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, with £1.95 billion of funding for research and development (R&D), matched by industry, over 13 years up to 2026. UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) is also providing £125 million to the Future Flight Challenge for research on greener ways of flying through advances in electric and autonomous flight technology, which is expected to generate an additional £175 million of match-funding from industry. We are also co-investing in aerospace productivity improvement and innovation programmes to support small and medium-sized businesses, backed with over £135 million of public funding. In addition, the aerospace sector and its aviation customers are being supported with over £8.5 billion of support through the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility, grants for R&D, loan guarantees, and support for aerospace exports. We are in discussion with the sector, through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, about how to best support the industry to recover.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 on the NHS.

Lord Bethell: The National Health Service and the wider scientific community are currently working to better understand the disease course of the COVID-19 virus including symptom severity and duration, long-term effects and how best to support recovery.The National Institute for Health Research and UK Research and Innovation have invested £8.4 million in the Post-HOSPitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID), led by Christopher Brightling at the University of Leicester. This study is one of the world’s largest comprehensive research studies into the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 on hospitalised patients.The research currently underway will inform future service design and provision.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Repairs and Maintenance

Baroness Jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the (1)Cornwall Partnership, (2)Dorset County Hospital, (3)Great Western Hospitals, (4)Royal Devon and Exeter, and (5)Torbay and South Devon Healthcare, NHS Foundation Trusts have not beenawarded any capitalfunding for upgrades to their accident and emergency departments to prepare for the winter.

Lord Bethell: The Government has already confirmed £300 million for 117 trusts to implement accident and emergency (A&E) upgrades ahead of this winter. Options for a small number of A&Es with more complex estate issues continue to be considered and a further announcement will be made shortly.

Charities: Health

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they will take to support health charities following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: We recognise that many charities are facing difficult decisions at the exact time their services are needed most. On 8 April 2020 the Chancellor announced £750 million to support for the charity sector in response to COVID-19. This includes £200 million provided through the National Lottery’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund to support charities working with vulnerable people. Applications closed on 17 August with money being allocated by early November.The Department does not routinely provide financial support to charities although, as before the COVID-19 pandemic, it is continuing to work with charities to deliver specific aims and objectives for which the organisations will be reimbursed.

Social Services: Standards

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consider adopting the Buurtzorg model for the provision of social care.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by CornerstoneLocal Cornerstone Year Two Report 2019, published in April 2019, with particular regard to the use of the Buurtzorg model for social care.

Lord Bethell: Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to shape their local markets, and ensure that people have a range of high quality, sustainable and person-centred care and support options available to them, and that they can access the services that best meets their needs.Elements of the Buurtzorg model have previously been tested in England. In 2017 a coalition of partners agreed to work together to design and deliver a project to test a Buurtzorg inspired model of working. Tests concluded that a purist model of the Buurtzorg Model in the health and social care system was not practical, but work has been undertaken to implement some of the core elements of the model.No assessment has been made of the Local Cornerstone Year Two Report 2019, published by Cornerstone in April 2019.

Care Homes: Private Sector

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the level of mortality in private care homes due to COVID-19, what steps they intend to take (1) to facilitate the provision of such care by local authorities, and (2) to improve conditions in private care homes.

Lord Bethell: Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to shape their whole local markets to ensure that they are sustainable, diverse and offer high quality care and support for people in their local area.On 15 April, the Department published COVID-19: Our Action Plan for Adult Social Care, which set out measures that the Government and other parts of the system were taking to support people in receipt of adult social care, both at home and in other settings. A copy of the Action Plan is attached. On 15 May, the Department published the Care Home Support Package backed by the £600 million Infection Control Fund. It sets out measures on infection prevention control, comprehensive testing, clinical support, local authority care homes support plans and support to build the workforce.The Care Quality Commission conducts robust inspections to make sure that service providers meet quality and safety standards. COVID-19 Our Action Plan for Adult Social Care (pdf, 284.7KB)

Local Government: Coronavirus

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to devolvedecision-making on local COVID-19 restrictions to local government; and if they have any such plans, whether district councilsin two-tier local government areas will be included in the bodies making those decisions.

Lord Bethell: Central Government is working closely with local areas through the Joint Biosecurity Centre, NHS Test and Trace and Public Health England to support local decision-making and keep Ministers updated on outbreaks. Under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 which came into force on 18 July, local authorities have new powers to impose restrictions in respect of venues, events and public outdoor places. These powers are in addition to the existing powers they have under diverse legislation such as public health, health and safety and environmental health laws. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care retains the ability to direct local authorities to take action, and to consider whether any use of these new powers is appropriate. Where more restrictive powers are needed, this will be a matter for Ministers. At every step, central Government will remain integral to the response and will ensure it is appropriate to protect the public.

Obesity

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they maintain records of how many people employed by NHS England are assessed as obese; what percentage of the total staff complement of NHS England this constitutes; and what steps, if any, they plan to take to encourage NHS England staff to lose weight.

Lord Bethell: The Department does not hold information on the weight of National Health Service staff. Through our new obesity strategy, Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives published on 27 July, we are doing more than ever to support people living with obesity, including those employed in the NHS, to lose weight including through the free NHS 12-week weight loss plan app for those who want more support. We will also expand weight management services to help more people get the support they need and through incentives with general practitioners will make conversations about weight in primary care the norm. These measures add to the wide range of actions already in place including the soft drinks industry levy, sugar reduction and wider calorie reformulation programme which will improve our eating habits and reduce the amount of sugar and calories we consume. A copy of Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives is attached.Tackling obesity (pdf, 277.3KB)

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether those local authorities which are now tracing positive COVID-19 cases on behalf of the national test and trace system will be given further authority to trace contacts resulting from those cases locally rather than having to pass them back to the national system.

Lord Bethell: The Department is currently working with a number of local authorities to identifying clusters and outbreaks. These are escalated to local public health specialists, in line with existing health protection incident management arrangements.If someone has tested positive for COVID-19 and we have been unable to contact them, we may pass their contact details to the local authority team to collect information about their contacts.Also, where someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 works in or has recently attended a complex setting such as a prison, school, or hospital, contact tracing will be carried out by local public health specialists.

New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group: Dental Services

Lord Woolley of Woodford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that at least one member of New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group has expert knowledge of the dental profession.

Lord Bethell: The New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) is an advisory group that advises on the threats posed by new and emerging respiratory virus threats and options for their management. Membership is decided by the Chair and signed off by the Chief Medical Officer.Currently there is no specific dental expertise among NERVTAG membership, as the group cannot have representation from every occupation it covers. However, it frequently brings in experts for meetings on specific topics.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for (1) the NHSX COVID-19 contact tracing application, and (2) the new contact tracing application currently under development that uses the Google and Apple exposure notification application programming interface.

Lord Bethell: The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) is a value between 0 and 1 which allows for a comparative analysis of different classification systems. In the context of a contact tracing app, it is the probability that the app is able to correctly discriminate between risky and non-risky encounters where an encounter is classed as being with a user that has tested positive for COVID-19.AUC values are based on modelling assumptions and, due to practical experimental limitations, are subject to uncertainty. A value of greater than 0.8 is generally considered by the scientific community to be ‘good or excellent’.The new NHS Test and Trace app is estimated to have an AUC which improves on that achieved for the original NHSX COVID-19 contact tracing app and, with the implementation of further enhancements to the risk calculation and the underlying technology provided by Google and Apple, will have an AUC that would be considered good or excellent.

Universal Credit: Coronavirus

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the self-isolation payments currently being piloted will be payable to those who have claimed but are not yet in receipt of Universal Credit because of the five week wait.

Lord Bethell: Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria for the NHS Test and Trace Self-Isolation Payment can apply to receive it within two weeks of their period of self-isolation ending, for the duration of the scheme. They will need to submit the necessary evidence to prove their eligibility.Someone who is not in receipt of any of the benefits listed in the eligibility criteria, but who applies for one or more of them after testing positive or being identified as a contact, can still apply for the new payment subsequently, provided: - They have been approved for the benefit they have applied for by the time they apply for the self-isolation payment; and- They apply for the self-isolation payment no later than two weeks after their period of self-isolation ended.

NHS Digital: Data Protection

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for NHS Digital to review its public cloud guidance following thejudgment by the European Court of Justice in the Schrems II case.

Lord Bethell: The cloud security suite of documents is currently being reviewed as part of NHS Digital’s regular management cycle and is due for re-issue before the end of the year. NHS Digital is currently awaiting updated guidance following the judgement by the European Court of Justice from the Information Commissioner's Office. Once received it will be incorporated into its guidance for the health and social care sector.

NHS Counter Fraud Authority

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthey intend to publishthe post-2020 strategy of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.

Lord Bethell: The NHS Counter Fraud Authority’s current strategy covers the period of 2017-20. The NHS Counter Fraud Authority will be publishing its new strategy later this year.

Department for Education

Higher Education: Finance

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of the financial effect of the decision of examination bodies in England to allow predicted grades as a basis for students’ applications on universities and the higher education sector.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: My hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, and departmental officials have been working closely with the higher education sector, through the Higher Education Taskforce, to review developments in the admissions cycle taking place in the current complex circumstances, including the reliance on centre-assessment grades. The taskforce continues to examine patterns of admissions, with expert input and information from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. This ongoing analysis and dialogue with the sector includes consideration of financial implications of the way in which the admissions cycle is operating in practice. My hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, will continue to listen to the views raised through the taskforce.The government understands that the sector is facing significant financial challenges and we are working closely with the sector, with the Office for Students (OfS), and across the government to understand these challenges. We will work closely with any provider affected. Providers with concerns about their financial viability or sustainability have been encouraged to contact the OfS at the earliest opportunity. They are now also able and encouraged to contact the Department for Education’s Restructuring Unit directly.The government has already put a number of financial support measures in place. We have announced a package of measures which combines different ways to give further support to providers at this time of financial pressure. We have pulled forward an estimated £2.6 billion worth of forecast tuition fee payments to ease cashflow pressure this autumn. We are also bringing forward quality-related research funding for higher education providers in England in the current academic year by £100 million.To ensure that providers are able to offer increased capacity, the government will provide additional grant funding to support this provision which is vital to our economy and public services, as well as providing additional teaching grant funding to increase capacity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and other high-cost subjects. The OfS will consult the sector on the details of how the allocations are made in due course.Providers will also be eligible to bid for a share of up to £10 million of funding to support capital expenditure. This funding will be used to support the infrastructure required to accommodate additional students recruited as a result of the changes to policy on A level grades. The fund will be administered by the OfS, and providers will be eligible to bid for projects which support expansion in 2020/21.The government has also announced a further package of support to universities and other research organisations to enable them to continue their research and innovation activities. This includes £280 million of taxpayer funding as well as a package of low-interest loans with long pay-back periods, supplemented by a small amount of government grants. In sharing responsibility for the future of science and research with our world-leading university system, from the autumn the government will cover up to 80% of a university’s income losses from international students for the academic year 2020/21, up to the value of their non-publicly funded research activity.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, also announced further information about the Higher Education Restructuring Regime on 16 July. This may be deployed as a last resort, if a decision has been made to support a provider in England, when other steps to preserve a provider’s viability and mitigate the risks of financial failure have not proved sufficient.

Department for Education: Staff

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of Department forEducation staff based in central London were working from their office desks on 2 September.

Baroness Berridge: Staff in the department have been working remotely since the middle of March and have been focused on dealing with the challenges posed by COVID-19. In recent months, the Department for Education has been working to ensure all our buildings are Covid-secure and putting in place plans to welcome staff safely back to the office. Phase 1 saw a small number of volunteer staff return to the larger offices in August. Phase 2 started on 1 September, opening up to 20% capacity across our 7 largest offices. Phase 3 is being planned and will enable 30-40% of capacity to be opened up, including at the department’s smaller sites. We continue to see an increase in number of staff returning and on Wednesday 2 September, a total of 4% of staff who are contracted as London based worked in Sanctuary Buildings, Westminster. As of Wednesday 9 September, 5.5% of London based staff were working from Sanctuary Buildings, Westminster.

National Tutoring Programme

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto amend the terms of reference of the National Tutoring Programme so that independent schools can participate fully in it.

Baroness Berridge: The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), our delivery partner on the Tuition Partner strand of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), launched the funding criteria on 31 August. Organisations will be selected to become NTP Tuition Partners through an open competition. The process is set out on the EEF’s website, together with information on criteria and expectations of tuition partners: https://nationaltutoring.org.uk/ntp-tuition-partners/for-tuition-partners.EEF are seeking high quality tutoring organisations who can manage delivery in line with robust quality, capacity and evaluation requirements. As this is a competitive process, we have no plans to change those terms. However, as well as existing tutoring providers, EEF are happy to accept applications from other organisations, such as associations of independent schools, charities or universities, who are able to meet the necessary criteria. Applications will also be welcome from partnerships made up of a number of organisations with differing, but relevant experience.

Pupils: Coronavirus

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have made available to local authorities about pupils who were not a registered pupil at any schoolat the beginning of the lockdown put in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Berridge: Parents can apply for a place at any school, at any time. The statutory School Admissions Code, which is binding on all admissions authorities, including academies, sets out the process for admission into school. Applying for a school place outside of the normal points of entry to school (such as reception or year 7), is known as an in-year admission. Parents can apply directly to the admissions authority of their preferred school as an in-year admission where local authorities do not co-ordinate in-year admissions. Local authorities, however, must provide parents with information about available school places in their area.The department launched a consultation to revise the School Admissions Code on 26 June. Improving the in-year admissions process is the main focus of the proposed changes. The consultation will run until 16 October and is available to view here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/home-to-school-transport-and-admissions-team/changes-to-the-school-admissions-code/.Local authorities have a duty to make arrangements to establish, as far as it is possible, the identities of children of compulsory school age in their area who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school. The ‘children missing education’ guidance sets out the key principles to enable local authorities implement their duty, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-missing-education.HL7822_pdf (pdf, 349.5KB)

Children in Care: Coronavirus

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children are currently in care; and what percentage of those wereprovided withlaptops for home schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Berridge: In terms of the numbers of children in care, the latest published figures show that 78,150 children were looked after, as of 31 March 2019. This information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2018-to-2019.The 2020, children looked after, collection closed last month and so we expect to publish the figures for March 2020 later this year.As of 27 August, the department has delivered, or dispatched, over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers to children who would not otherwise have access, as part of over £100 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care. Over 140,000 of these devices were allocated to local authorities to support vulnerable children, young people with a social worker and care leavers. Further information is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data.The devices were an injection of support to help local authorities and academy trusts to provide access to education and social care during the COVID-19 outbreak. Local authorities and trusts are responsible for distributing the devices and are best placed to know which children and young people need access to a device.Devices are owned by the local authority, trust or school who can loan unused devices to children and young people who need them most, and who may face disruption to face-to-face education in the event of future local COVID-19 restrictions.

Treasury

H2O Asset Management

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether(1) they, or (2) the Financial Conduct Authority, havereviewed the accuracy of public statements made by H2O Asset Management on the gating of funds.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government. The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Human Rights: Africa

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of UN Resolution 68/237 and the impact of the promulgation of the International Decade for People of African Descent; and what steps theypropose to take in support ofthat Resolution's stated goals to promote the recognition and inclusion of the African Diaspora in society and opposition to all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK supports, and joined consensus on UN Resolution 68/237, which proclaimed the International Decade for People of African Descent. We will continue to work to eradicate discrimination and intolerance at home, and use the FCDO as a force for good in addressing injustices overseas. Domestically, our focus is on creating a fair society where all people, regardless of ethnic origin or background, are valued and able to participate fully and realise their own potential. Internationally, we believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate for respect amongst different ethnic groups is to encourage countries to uphold their human rights obligations, particularly through international institutions such as the United Nations. I discussed this important issue during the UK's closing statement at the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council, on 26 June 2020.

China: Sanctions

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the list of those who have been designated for Magnitsky-style sanctions to includeany senior Chinese Communist Party officials who have orchestrated human rights violations against the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 6 July, the UK Government established the Global Human Rights ('Magnitsky') sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament. It is not appropriate to speculate who may be designated under the sanctions regime in the future, as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations. We will keep all evidence and potential listings under close review.

Hong Kong: Politics and Government

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of thedecision to remove references to the separation of powers and its impact on judicial independence and other aspects of “one country, two systems" in text books in Hong Kong.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Joint Declaration vests Hong Kong with executive, legislative and independent judicial power, and the executive is accountable to the legislature. It is imperative that the roles of these branches, as envisaged by the Joint Declaration, are respected, and that Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy remains intact.

Mauritius: Oil

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the actions of the government of Mauritius following the shipwreck of, and subsequent oil spill caused by, MV Wakashio.

Baroness Sugg: Following the oil spill, the Government of Mauritius requested urgent assistance from the international community. As part of this response, we deployed three ecology experts from the UK's Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. These experts are assessing the scale of the damage and are helping Mauritius identify the best ways to restore its coastline and protect the species now at risk of oil pollution. In addition, a package of legal and technical advice has been provided to assist with the safe disposal of the stricken ship. We also deployed a marine expert to the scene and have put in place a team of lawyers and marine consultants who are also helping the Mauritian Government while working remotely from the UK.Finally, the UK has committed £10,000 of new emergency support for the Mauritian Wildlife Fund to support its urgent work to help the local nature reserves directly impacted by the oil spill, including Ile aux Aigrettes. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and assist the Mauritian Government to limit the impact of the spill.

Mali: Military Coups

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the military coup on 18 August in Mali, what assessment they have made of (1) the current political situation in that country, and (2) the progress of talks to resolve the crisis between mediators from the Economic Community of West African States and the coup leaders.

Baroness Sugg: The UK is concerned about the current political crisis in Mali, which is creating uncertainty at a time when the country is facing multiple security, humanitarian and health challenges. In his statement on 19 August, the Minister for Africa condemned the coup and urged all actors to exercise restraint, respect human rights and the rule of law and engage constructively in efforts to find a resolution. It is vital that the current crisis does not undermine efforts to respond to the deeply troubling humanitarian situation, drive forward development and build stability in Mali. The coup leaders' stated commitment to their international partnerships and the Malian peace process is welcome, as is their decision to enter into dialogue with a wide range of Malian actors to determine the shape of transition.We support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in their efforts to encourage a successful transition and to ensure the release of detainees. We are working with international partners to encourage a transition that can deliver a legitimate, civilian government that meets the needs and aspirations of the Malian people. The UK hopes that a successful transition can help Mali to respond better to the complex governance challenges that have driven instability and impeded development in recent years.

Mauritius: Oil

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the oil spill caused by the shipwreck of MV Wakashio, what assistance they are providing to the government of Mauritius to clean the area and save wildlife, particularly the endangered species in and around the national park of Ile aux Aigrettes.

Baroness Sugg: Following the oil spill, the Government of Mauritius requested urgent assistance from the international community. As part of this response, we deployed three ecology experts from the UK's Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. These experts are assessing the scale of the damage and are helping Mauritius identify the best ways to restore its coastline and protect the species now at risk of oil pollution. In addition, a package of legal and technical advice has been provided to assist with the safe disposal of the stricken ship. We also deployed a marine expert to the scene and have put in place a team of lawyers and marine consultants who are also helping the Mauritian Government while working remotely from the UK.Finally, the UK has committed £10,000 of new emergency support for the Mauritian Wildlife Fund to support its urgent work to help the local nature reserves directly impacted by the oil spill, including Ile aux Aigrettes. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and assist the Mauritian Government to limit the impact of the spill.

Nigeria: Violence

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Igbo Councillors and MPs in the UK group Report on Fulani Herdsmen killing Igbos and Christians in South East Nigeria, published in July,which cites evidence of attacks against Christians and Igbo people in Nigeria’s south-eastern states and claims that 350 Igbo villages are occupied by Fulani herders and Shuwa Arab mercenaries.

Baroness Sugg: The UK Government condemns all incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria. While diverse communities live together peacefully across much of Nigeria, the country has experienced episodes of serious intercommunal violence, including in south-eastern states. We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights for all.The UK Government's assessment remains that religion is not the principal driver of most incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria. The underlying drivers of conflict are complex, and frequently relate to competition over resources and criminality. In February, we hosted a conference on 'Fostering Social Cohesion in Nigeria'. Attendees included representatives from civil society, faith and political leaders from across Nigeria, representatives from the Nigerian Government and UK parliamentarians. The discussion focused on the complex causes of conflict and explored solutions: a full report from the conference has been published and can be viewed on the Wilton Park website.The UK Government is working with Nigeria to respond to the drivers of conflict. We are providing technical support to the Nigerian Government for the development of the National Livestock Transformation Plan. The plan aims to promote cattle-rearing in one place, rather than the traditional nomadic practice, to limit competition over land and resources leading to violence. The plan is currently being implemented in eight middle belt states and we are encouraging its adoption in other states, including south-eastern states.We will continue to encourage the Government of Nigeria to take urgent action to protect those at risk of intercommunal violence, to bring perpetrators to justice and to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes and meet the needs of all communities.

Hong Kong: Immigrants

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 5 August (HL7139), why they do not publish the results of their assessments of how many people they expect to take up the bespoke immigration route for British Nationals (Overseas) and their dependants; and what the result of their most recent assessment was.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Our offer to British Nationals (Overseas), (BN(O)s), is not about the numbers. The Government has taken decisive action to uphold our commitments to the people of Hong Kong. As previously stated, this scheme is for eligible BN(O) status holders and their immediate family dependants. We estimate that there are up to 2.9 million BN(O) status holders. In reality, a large number of those who are eligible will want to stay in Hong Kong or relocate to other countries in the region.

Hong Kong

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their six-monthly report on Hong Kong, coveringJanuary toJune 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We intend to publish the next Six-Monthly report on Hong Kong covering the period from January-June 2020 during the autumn, in line with usual practice.

Australia and New Zealand: Emigration

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of Australia and New Zealand about those governments' policies aimed at encouraging UK skilled workers and their families to settle in those countries; and what estimate they have made of the cost to HM Treasury of the emigration of such workers.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has not had recent discussions with the governments of Australia and New Zealand on such a matter.

Pakistan: Schools

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of reports that £50 million of UK funding was provided for the construction of classrooms in areas of Pakistan after being warned that it was an earthquake zone,and that the classrooms were subsequently abandoned; what education provision is now available to the children who were to be taught in those schools; and who took the decisions to provide that funding.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Independent assessments commissioned by FCDO found that some school buildings built through the School Construction and Rehabilitation Programme, implemented by IMC Worldwide, were not compliant with the Pakistan Building Code and posed a risk where there is possibility of earthquakes. FCDO and IMC brought in Pakistani and international experts to investigate the problems, including actual testing of material used in construction, to find solutions where considered necessary. When safety concerns were independently verified, we worked with Government authorities to ensure all affected buildings were barred from use. Plans were made on a school by school basis between IMC, Provincial Governments and school principals for alternative accommodation of students. Prior to schools closing due to the COVID pandemic, an estimated 80% of affected students were being housed in existing school buildings. Temporary facilities were provided in 219 schools where students could not be accommodated in existing buildings. Schools are due to open again on 15 September 2020. Now that safety checks are complete, we are ready for most schools to be handed back to the Pakistani authorities and returned to use. The rest will be retrofitted by IMC - that work has now started.

Ministry of Defence

Military Aid

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Campaign Against Arms Trade publication in August of a list of 17 countries which received some form of British military training between 2018 and 2020, (1) what defence engagement has taken place in each such country, and (2) how they have ensured thatsuch engagement complies with international humanitarian law.

Baroness Goldie: The nature and scale of Defence Engagement with the countries mentioned in the CAAT publication varies considerably according to the nature of the wider UK relationship with these countries. Information on all forms of Defence Engagement is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Our Defence Engagement programmes, and particularly the Defence Education & Training we provide to foreign nations, will stress the need to respect International Law and the importance of adhering to international standards, for example with regard to human rights, human security, transparency & corruption, and civilian oversight and control of the Armed Forces.All Defence Engagement is informed by an assessment of the potential impact of providing assistance on risks relating to human rights and International Humanitarian Law.

Department for Work and Pensions

Disadvantaged: Students

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial supportthey intend to offer to students from vulnerable families who are unable to begin a degree course in September.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: If a person has deferred commencement of the first year of a degree course, they are not treated as a student and may be able to receive Universal Credit if they satisfy all of the other conditions of entitlement. If a person has already started their degree course and is deferring a follow on year, they are treated as a student and financial support for students comes from the system of student loans and grants designed for their needs. Exceptions are made where students have additional needs that are not met through the student support system.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Food: Imports

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations on the standards for food imports which should apply in international trade agreementsin the report by Henry Dimbleby National Food Strategy: Part One, published on 29 July.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government has a clear manifesto commitment that in all of our trade negotiations, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. We will use all appropriate policy levers available to us to achieve our policy aims ensuring that trade agreements live up to the values of farmers and consumers across the UK. The National Food Strategy recommends that the independent Trade and Agriculture Commission consider this issue. As noted in the public record of its meeting of 21 August, available online, the Commission has already started discussing its response. The membership agreed to deliberate further on some of the report’s recommendations on the international framework of rules and standards.

Partridges and Pheasants: Animal Breeding

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate the conditions in which pheasants and red-legged partridges are reared before being released as gamebirds.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are committed to maintaining our position as world leaders in animal welfare and want to improve and build upon that record, working in partnership with farmers to support healthier, higher welfare animals. We are exploring options with all the industry sectors, including the gamebird industry, to see how welfare standards can be further enhanced and in a way that is sustainable. The welfare of gamebirds is currently protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering. This is backed up by the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes, which encourages the adoption of high standards of husbandry.

Packaging: Recycling

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that all TetraPaks used in the UK are appropriately recycled.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government is committed to increasing the quantity and quality of waste materials that are recycled. Following support in our 2019 consultation on ‘Consistency in household and business recycling collections in England’, we will introduce legislation through the Environment Bill that will require a core set of recyclable materials (paper and card, plastic, glass, metal, food waste, garden waste) to be collected from households and businesses by all waste collectors in England. At consultation we also proposed additional materials that could be included into this core set of materials, including food and drink cartons. Food and drink cartons, such as Tetra Pak cartons, are widely collected by local authorities from households across England (60% of authorities offer kerbside collection). We are currently engaging with the waste sector to develop detailed proposals for collection and recycling of cartons by all local authorities and will consult on these early in 2021.

Home Office

Female Genital Mutilation

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women and girls in the UK they estimate have been affected by female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C); how many women and girls were treated in the UK for matters related to FGM/Cin the year to March; of those, how many were born in the UK; what assessment they have made of those figures; and what plans, if any, they have (1) to cut funding to, and (2) to close, centres in the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: FGM is a crime and it is child abuse. We will not tolerate a practice that can cause extreme and lifelong physical and psychological suffering to women and girls.In 2015, a City University and Equality Now study (part funded by the Home Office), estimated that 137,000 women and girls who had migrated to England and Wales were living with the consequences of FGM, and approximately 60,000 girls aged 0-14 were born in England and Wales to mothers who had undergone FGM.NHS Digital publish quarterly and annual statistics on FGM. The April 2019 to March 2020 annual report shows that during that period 6,590 individual women and girls had an attendance at an NHS Trust or GP practice in England at which FGM was identified or a procedure for FGM was undertaken and 205 of these women and girls were known to have been born in the UK (all data is rounded to the nearest 5). The full report can be found here: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/female-genital-mutilation/april-2019---march-2020We have no plans to cut funding to or to close centres for FGM in the UK.NHS England & NHS Improvement and local bodies continue to fund healthcare services for women and girls who have undergone FGM, as well as prevention services. These activities are being delivered on a day to day basis following the successful delivery, by the DHSC, of the FGM Prevention Programme – which delivered systems, training and guidance to improve how the NHS responds to the health needs of women and girls who have undergone FGM.

Hate Crime

Lord Vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 12 March (HL2248), whether the Law Commission review of legislation related to hate crime has called witnesses;if so, whom; what weight any such hearings with witnesses are giving to the importance of free speech in the UK; whether they intend to submit any recommendations by the Law Commission to Parliament for approval; and if not, why not.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government has asked the Law Commission to undertake a review of the legislation related to hate crime, which will report in 2021. The review’s Terms of Reference require the Law Commission to make recommendations that ‘comply with, and are conceptionally informed by’ the right to freedom of expression. The Law Commission are scheduled to conduct a public consultation later in the year as part of their review. They will be seeking a wide range of perspectives and inviting comment from all interested parties. They have conducted pre-consultation meetings and will hold formal consultation meetings with stakeholders. As part of their review, the Law Commission are engaging with a variety of stakeholders, including civil rights group, the CPS, community organisations, law enforcement, legal experts and academics. The Government will reflect on the Law Commission’s recommendations when it is due to report next year.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government Finance: Coronavirus

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the provision of sufficient funding for district councils in two-tier areas to support (1) the public health work of their environmental health staff and departments as part of the work on COVID-19, and (2)tracking, tracing and isolating work in partnership with Government.

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance theyhave provided to local authorities (1) to maintain existing services, and (2) to temporarily backfill posts in areas such as environmental and public health while existing staff are redeployed to work connected with COVID-19.

Lord Greenhalgh: Councils across the country are supporting communities, protecting the most vulnerable and helping the NHS in our efforts to combat Covid-19. We are providing local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, allocating £4.3 billion of support for?spending?pressures, including £3.7 billion of un-ringfenced grants and the £600 million Infection Control Fund. In total, the government has provided £5 billion in cashflow measures and almost £28 billion in additional funding for local communities, to ensure they can meet the unique pressures that the covid-19 pandemic has placed upon them. I believe these measures amount to a comprehensive package of support.The Secretary of State has also announced measures to address lost income, including:A co-payment scheme to cover irrecoverable Sales, Fees and Charges income in 20/21 with the Government covering 75% of losses beyond 5% of planned incomePhased repayment of Collection Fund deficits over the next 3 yearsA commitment to support the sector through an apportionment of irrecoverable Council Tax and Business Rates losses, to be agreed at the Spending Review.

Gatwick Airport: Redundancy

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on Crawley and the surrounding area of the redundancies announced by Gatwick Airport; andwhat plans they haveto provide additional support to the local authorities concerned.

Lord Greenhalgh: Government is working with the Crawley Economic Recovery Task Force to support Crawley and the surrounding area.We have provided local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, allocating £4.3 billion of support for?spending?pressures, including £3.7 billion of un-ringfenced grants and the £600 million Infection Control Fund. Crawley Borough Council have received £1.39 million in emergency grant funding.We are also supporting local authorities to help local businesses. Government has put forward a package of support for businesses to help with ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. This includes the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF), the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF) and the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF). As of 30 August, Crawley Borough Council have paid out over £12.5 million to 886 business premises under the SBGF and RHLGF. They are also working hard to deliver grants to local businesses under the LADGF.Government has recently awarded the Coast to Capital LEP £19.2 million from the new Getting Building Fund for a wide range of projects that will deliver a much-needed boost to the local economy. Over £8 million has been awarded to a proposal to create a new innovation centre in Crawley, bringing together major innovation-led businesses.We have recently received Crawley's Town Investment Plan as part of the government's Towns Fund. This sets out Crawley's vision to drive the sustainable economic regeneration of Crawley, accounting for Covid-19 impacts, to deliver long term economic and productivity growth. Government is currently reviewing Crawley's Town Investment Plan and will respond shortly.We will continue to work closely with all local authorities as they support their communities through the pandemic.

Cabinet Office

Data Protection: USA

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Government Digital Service has undertaken a risk assessment of UK Government data being held with US cloud providers following the judgment by the European Court of Justice in the Schrems II case; and what the outcome of any such assessment was.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to revise the Government Cloud First policy following the judgment by the European Court of Justice in the Schrems II case.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the judgment by the European Court of Justice in the Schrems II case, what assessment they have made of the use of US-based cloud providers to host UK Government data held in the UK.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government Digital Service (GDS) is currently reviewing cross government cloud policy and guidance, including the Cloud First policy. This includes reviewing the cloud hosting market and associated regulatory environment.GDS is currently undertaking a risk assessment of all of its services and products (including GOV.UK) in relation to cross-border data flows. The new ECJ judgment will be considered as part of this assessment. The assessment will identify relevant data flows and make sure appropriate mitigation is implemented if necessary, following updates and guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). GDS has engaged with other government departments via data advisory groups and data protection networks to ensure consistent mitigation.Ultimately, however, it is a decision for individual government organisations where and how to store their data, provided it is done in a secure way and offers good value for money.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: International Labour Organisation

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with UK trade partners about protecting International Labour Organisation standards in future trade agreements.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: In line with our international obligations, including those under the International Labour Organisation (ILO), HM Government will continue to ensure a high level of protection of labour standards in new trade agreements. HM Government shares the public’s high regard for worker protections and has made clear that we will not compromise on these. While the detail of free trade agreements (FTAs) are reserved for formal negotiations, HM Government has publicly committed to reaffirming its international labour standards in our outline approaches to FTAs with the US, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.